Party Foul: Mandatory Coat Check

A few weeks ago, I found myself with a large party at a Manhattan restaurant. As soon as we sat down, our hostess pointed us to the mandatory coat check. The restaurant and bar was by no means formal, and we weren't out at a club with a dance floor, so in this case, I really didn't see the point of it being requirement. Add to that the dilemma of tipping at a coat check. But the worst part of it all? It was the dead of Winter, and the restaurant was bone-chillingly cold, so all of us were shivering at the table.

As I sat there covered in goose bumps, I worried whether I would catch a cold, and wondered how this could be legal. After all, it's no different from built-in tips!

Have you ever been forced to give up your coat and tip on a mandatory coat check? Do share your thoughts and stories below.

Comments

6 years

I think I'd say - there is a mandatory charge for taking my coat. That'll be $15 an hour!

Eww. Coat checks kind of creep me out so I tend to skip them unless keeping my coat with me is horribly inconvenient. I'm not sure what I would have done since I've never been in that situation. Seems wrong to me.

Well, I live in Florida, so there is no need for coats lol! But, I would be way annoyed if it was mandatory and I was cold and just wanted to keep my coat on. I guess I would tell them I wanted to keep my coat on because I was cold, and if they said I couldn't, I just wouldn't eat there!

Um, no. I've had people claim they have a mandatory coat check, but if I'm cold, I'm not giving it up, period. I've refused with a simple "no, I'm cold" and an icy look and have never been forced to give up anything.

I'm sure it had to do with the space of the restaurant, storing coats and bags on the backs of chairs is asking for an accident if the room is tight. From my experience as a server in a nice restaurant, the coat is safer in the coat check. We're human, spills or drips happen every night. I'd rather tip the $2 than end up with sangria drips on my peacoat.

living in NYC - it's something that you come across a LOT. it's really frustrating sometimes, because it's not often that i have cash, and it's really awkward when you have to tip too. to be honest, it's not like the coat check person is doing all that much - they sit/stand there and put coats on hangers and take them off. i don't know. it's frustrating

I'm not sure what I would have done. Part of me is very non confrontational and would have complied but the other part of me is a bit stubborn and would have possibly told them I was too cold and was going to leave it on. I guess if I wasn't cold I wouldn't mind giving it up.

I live in Chicago and I've never experienced a waitress telling me it was mandatory to check my coat. Now, truth be told I don't frequent Zagat top-rated places either, but I have enjoyed dinners at nice restaurants. But if the hostess pointed me in the direction of the coat-check, I can't imagine she would deny me personal warmth if I offered to keep the coat on.
on the position of check the coat or seeya later- forget that! Is a restaurant really worth the food if the price is a hoity toity place where you're not allowed to conceal your own jacket on your own accord- not to mention the cost of what you're eating? Party foul indeed.

Yep, this happened to me once. We went to this very nice steakhouse where they had a coat check and I was wearing a short sleeved top. I'm always cold anyways, so I was planning on leaving my jacket on but they told me they had a mandatory coat-check policy. I actually thought they were making that up; I didn't know a lot of restaurants did that.

I was out in chicago two weeks ago where this was the case. It wasn't dead of Winter but it was still cold out and the place was freezing inside.. Besides the fact I don't like anyone telling me what to do with my stuff...its so annoying

6 years

It's actually impossible to catch a cold from the cold. That's an old wives tale (I am a third year immunology student). The cold is a virus.
Aside from that, I would have walked right back out that door. A customer's comfort should be very important to a restaurant!

Oh wow, I just got NYC flashbacks... not only do I remember mandatory coat checks, it wasn't just tipping, it was a charge. Plus if you had two items, say a sweater and a jacket, they would often try to charge you twice to prevent someone from doubling up coats on a hanger to split the cost between friends.